4 Ideas for Accessing Geo-Restricted Content Throughout the Globe
Hiding your geolocation or IP address is typically the most effective and user-friendly way to circumvent geographical restrictions that you encounter while browsing the Internet. Although at first glance this may not seem like a very manageable chore, in actuality, it is not.
The most fundamental illustration of this is the fact that popular streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, and others can only be accessed in specific geographic regions. However, if you use a virtual private network (VPN), you can get around their geographical limitations and access the content. Utilizing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for Disney Plus, Netflix, and other geo-restricted platforms is one of the most effective ways to circumvent geo-restriction constraints.
4 Ideas for Accessing Geo-restricted Content
Accessing information that is geographically restricted in any part of the world is one of the many problems that have been solved by advances in technology. The vast majority of the obstacles that may be placed in the way of customers have been eliminated. Take a look at these four different strategies for getting around content that is geo-restricted in an efficient manner.
1.      VPN Services
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) service can assist you in bypassing geographical restrictions by replacing your IP address with the address of the VPN server to which you connect. Therefore, if you connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) server located in the United States, you will have the ability to access geo-restricted websites that are only accessible within that country. For instance, Disney Plus is not available in the United States where you now reside. If you want to view Disney Plus while in the United States, you will need to subscribe to a VPN service that is optimised for Disney Plus.
Virtual private networks are easy to set up and are not typically banned by internet service providers (like Smart DNS services can). Because it uses encryption, a virtual private network can also prevent your internet service provider from limiting your bandwidth. You should be aware, however, that the encryption process that is carried out by a virtual private network (VPN) can make your connection more sluggish. That is not to say that your internet connections will be reduced to nothing, but depending on the strength of the encryption cypher and the VPN protocol, you may notice minor slowdowns in your connection rates.
2.      Smart DNS
You can hide the actual DNS address that is assigned to you by your Internet service provider by using a service called smart DNS, which stands for “smart domain name system.” Your DNS address does, in fact, contain information that can be used to determine your physical location, despite the fact that this is not the same as hiding your IP address. Therefore, replacing it with a new address that contains data referring to a location in a nation in which the content can be accessed is an efficient method for circumventing geo-blocks.
A Smart DNS would also be able to intercept your connection requests to any website that you wish to access. It would then replace any data detected in those requests that reveals your geographic location with new information connected to a different location that has been “whitelisted.”
Another benefit of using Smart DNS services is that they are not encrypted, which enables you to access content that is geo-restricted while still retaining the speeds that you were getting from your original ISP. In addition, the majority of Smart DNS providers make it possible to quickly visit a long list of websites that have already been unblocked.
3.      Proxy Servers:
: A proxy server is a server that acts as an intermediary between the website you are viewing and the device you are using. Proxy servers, which each have their own unique IP address, are the only way to access content that is geographically blocked. Proxy servers can be helpful for bypassing restrictions placed on websites; however, they are not as secure or reliable as virtual private networks (VPNs). The data that travels through your device while it’s connected to a virtual private network (VPN) is encrypted. On the other hand, a proxy is only able to function inside the limits of a single website or application.
There is an abundance of free proxy services that can be found online; but, free is not synonymous with good, especially when it comes to issues of privacy, security, and more complex encryption methods. On the other hand, because they have a restricted number of server or IP addresses, major multimedia streaming services are sometimes able to identify them.
4.      TOR Browser (The Onion Browser)
You can circumvent geo-restrictions by using another method, such as the Tor browser, which is a technology that gives you the ability to do so. It performs the same operations as any other web browser, like Chrome and Safari, for example. Through the Tor network, you will have access to all conventional websites as well as onion sites, which are websites that can only be accessed through the Tor network.
Reasons why Geo-restrictions Techniques are Used
A Tor browser is very much like any other browser you might use, with the exception that it was developed expressly for viewing websites that are blocked in your region due to geolocation restrictions. Although it has the capability of unlocking onion sites, there is no guarantee that it will be secure. If you use this browser, the possibility exists that your data will be shared with third parties.
On the other hand, Tor does not offer the same level of security as a virtual private network (VPN) does. Because Tor has a poor reputation, your Internet service provider (ISP) will be able to tell if you are using it, and because of this, they may view your online actions with suspicion. Tor, in contrast to a virtual private network (VPN), has an architecture that makes it extremely slow.
Motives Behind the Implementation of Geographical Restrictions Techniques
However, as you have seen in the previous section, a virtual private network (VPN) is not the only method available to circumvent geo-restricted content. Continue this discussion with me as we investigate the factors that led to the establishment of each of the aforementioned geo-restriction policies in the first place.
1.      Agreements on Copyright
The major content providers like as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Disney Plus do not actually own all of the content that they make available to its users; rather, they merely have the right to transmit it. Because of this, the person who initially owned the copyright to the work is the one who decides whether or not it can be aired anywhere in the world. In the event that this cannot be accomplished, content platforms are obligated to play by the rules, which geo-restriction technology makes possible.
2.      Licensing Rights
In order to broadcast their work in a particular nation, owners of copyrights and content producers alike are required to get the appropriate licencing permissions. It is simple to see how obtaining licencing rights all over the world would be prohibitively expensive (particularly when other country-specific charges are included in), thus the fact that this is the case is completely understandable.
3.      Discrimination in pricing
Geo-restrictions make it possible to enforce the practise of presenting customers with different pricing options according on the country from which they access to the internet. Online retailers and airlines both engage in this practise in order to more effectively segment the global market into a plethora of distinct market segments and so increase their revenue.
4.      Legal Issues
Legal considerations are a common driver behind the widespread usage of geo-restriction strategies by governments. The government of the United Kingdom, for example, uses geo-blocks to ensure that their television programming is only accessible within the borders of the United Kingdom. This is due to the fact that the entire operation is funded by taxpayer money (with limited exceptions).
5.      Blackouts
Blackouts in the United States are routinely carried out with the assistance of geo-blocks, a method that is considered to be “popular” among media companies, national networks, sports leagues, and associations. Geo-restrictions are put in place to prevent a sporting event from being broadcast in certain regions, such as when:
The occasion in question is now in the process of taking place.
Distribution rights are owned completely and exclusively by national networks.
The event is already being broadcast in the immediate area.
Conclusion
In general, there are four ways to access geo-restricted content anywhere in the world, but subscribing to a reputable VPN service is the method that offers the most level of security. However, if you want to bypass geo-restrictions on your favourite content wherever you are in the world without sacrificing your privacy or safety, you should consider signing up for a virtual private network (VPN). Although it may be more expensive for you than other options, this is the most reliable and long-term solution available.
